Turntablism

Though his name may sound sleek and sci-fi, Eric Tomorrow doesn't specialize in icy electronic or synth-kissed New Wave. Instead, he spins something else entirely--punk and hardcore.

In fact, his moniker was clipped from his former hardcore band, If Tomorrow Comes (not to be confused with the Canadian band of the same name). "It's always been that," he says of the alias. "More people know me by that than by my real name," which is Eric Ammerman.

Tomorrow started doing DJ nights in 1999 while going to college for audio engineering in Orlando, Fla. "I had a pretty big punk and hardcore collection, so I figured I'd put it to use," says the 27-year-old Wayne, Pa., native. He returned to Pennsylvania in 2001 and now lives in Havertown.

Soon after returning to Philly he met Joe Lekkas, who was booking at Doc Watson's at the time and gave him a weekly night there. When Lekkas took over booking at the newly redone Manhattan Room in Fishtown, Tomorrow and his Thursday evening came along.

His nights at the Manhattan Room are accompanied by BMX and skate videos new and old, shown on the venue's projector screens. Also included each week is a live set by a punk or hardcore band like the New Beat Vampires or Up Since Friday. Slated for the next few months are Slack Harmonic, the Boils, Never Say Never, Thumbs Up and his brother's band, Bullets for Beautiful.

He usually spins classics like the Descendents, early Bad Religion and songs off Jawbreaker's Dear You, as well as more recent names like Flogging Molly, Judge, Hot Water Music, Small Brown Bike, At the Drive-In, Braid, Dropkick Murphys, Sick of It All and Converge.

Then there are some surprises, like the new William Shatner record--now his most requested record. He'll also throw in Manowar, AC/DC, Heart's "Barracuda," NWA's "Straight Outta Compton" and even "Sweet Home Alabama."

When he's not inspiring or confounding crowds with his DJ nights, Tomorrow is busy with a slew of other activities. He restores and races old Volkswagens, sings in the band Fight Like 87 and practices fire-breathing.

He also just started a BMX- and skate-clothing company called Mediocre, which already has three sponsored riders and a few shirt designs on the way.

Meanwhile, his taste in music is bringing out more new faces every week. "It's really comfortable. It's like you're hanging out in someone's house." Someone who loves William Shatner, that is.